Pastor Serves As Heart Of Congregation

Samantha Baker
The Rev. Judy Van Hoose is an associate pastor at First United Methodist Church in Springdale. She was ordained in 1997 and has been at First United Methodist Church for 10 years.

through, say, a job loss, (Van Hoose) holds their hand and walks with them through that,” Freeman said. “She shows them God is there.” Van Hoose trained for religious education, she said, but she embraced care because “I was meant to be here, right now.” “God is not the cause of this a year ago. Now her mother’s house was for sale … “People need to feel that somebody really cares,” Van Hoose said. “To acknowledge what they’re feeling and tell them what they need to hear to go on.” Another woman with troubles stopped. “She asked me to pray for her,” Van Hoose said. “And I prayed with her.